Portable body warmer



R. R. REVENO PORTABLE BODY WARMER April 1s, 1944.

Filed Feb. 25, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR: ezlbenobefigevezzo,

ATTORNEYS.

gi/@52% v @42%. fp/1 Apr'il 1s, 1944. R, R EVENO 2,346,998

PORTABLE BODY WARMER Filed Feb. 23, 1942 vI2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W TNESSES: I n l V/NVENT0R:

' ReUbe/zRobefijZee/zo,

A TTORNE YS.

Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE v2,546,998 PORTABLE BODY WARMER Reuben Robert Reveno, Philadelphia., Pa.

Application February 23, 1942, Serial No. 431,998 e claims. '(01. 12s-204) l This'i'nvention relates to body warmers of a portable type for supplementing clothing to protect the wearer (particularly the lower part of the body) from cold, and vintended for use by spectators' at out-door sporting and field events such as Vfootball games, ice hockey, races, etc., or as protective covering for invalids, convalescents, etc., requiring warmth for their bodies while sittingout-doors.

Amongst the objects of -rny invention are to enlarge upon the usefulnessof devices of the kind referred to and to enhance'their efficiency from the standpoints of heat conservation and economy of operation.

Further aims of my invention are to attain the foregoing'advantages in a body warmer which is simple in'construction and light in weight; which is easily and quickly applied or removed; which can be Vmanufactured at small expense; and which can be folded into a small and compact package for convenience of ready carriage.

Other objects and attendant advantageswill appear from'thefollowing detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig'. l is a perspective view showing my improved body warmer collapsed in readiness to be carried about.

Fig. 2 shows the device set up in readiness for use. l

Fig. 3 shows how the body warmer is actually used with the wearer sitting.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken as approximately indicated by the angled arrows IV-IV in Fig. 2.

Fig.'5 is a plan view of the base portion of the vdevice with portions of the covering cuil away; and Y Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinal and cross sectional viewstaken as indicated respectively by the angled arrows VI-VI and VII-VII in Fig. 4.

From `'these illustrations it will be seen that my improved body warmer includes' avsubstantially nat rigid base I o f composite construction having -in this instance a rectangular foundation frame 2,which may be of wood or other thermo-insulating material, and which is braced byv corner pieces shown at 3 in' Fig. 5. Set apart within the frame I at the center is a sub-division or well 4 which is defined by transverse frame strips and a lengthwise connectingstrip 6. The hollows of the frame I, except for the sub' division or well 4, are lled with loose thermoinsulation 'I such as rock-Wool or the like, which is conventionally indicated and which is retained by top and bottom asbestos sheets 8 and 9 whereof the upper one stops short of said well. The

parts constituting the base arecovered with textile material, preferably tough canvas or deckcloth indicated at 10. The Well 4 islinedwith Anon-corrosive sheet metal I I ,saidlining bearing at thebottom upon a pad I2 of insulation, and extending between opposite sides 'thereof slightly above its bottom are spaced rods I3 which serve I as a false floor to support a heating element or f applied thereto.

-unit I5. As shown, the heating unit I5 is in the Vform of a` porous,v bag filled with a suitable granular chemical substancev or compound which gives ofi heat for a considerable period when wetted, depending upon the amount of moisture Other types of commercial heating units may oi course' be substituted, if desired, within the scope of the appended claims. The well 4 isprovided with a reticulate gridlike cover I6 which may be formed from relatively stiff perforated sheet metal, also preferably of a non-corrosive kind, said cover being attached by hinges I 1 along one edge so that vit can be readily swung up for access tothe recess or well 4 when replacements of the heating element or unit I5 are necessary.

My improved body warmer further includes an envelope I8 which may be of any flexible material which is air-tight'and moisture-repellent and which is secured at its lower edge perimetrically of the Abase I. As shown in Fig. 2, the envelope I8 is vertically slitted at the front and the slit edges are separably securable by a conventionalform of slide fastener whereof the lug tapes are-indicated at IQand the slide at 2b.

.The envelope I8 isprovided with a hem 2I around the greater. portion of its top edge with segments 22 containing elastic to the ends of which, belt tongues 23. and 24 aresecured, one such tongue beingprovided-with a buckle 25 and the other with perforations for receiving the tongue of saidbuCkle. By this means it will be apparent that the upperedgey of the envelope I8 may be snugly fastened about the body of the wearer as shown in Fig.- 3. The envelope I8 is moreover provided at the'front withA openings 23 having rinwardfsleeve-like extensions 21 whereof the end edges are hemmed as at 23 and contain elastic for capacity to contract snugly around the wrists of the wearer.

The bottom of the base I is finished with a covering 30 of leather `or imitation leather, and a perimetric band 3I of the same material overlaps the attached lower edge of the envelope I9; and saidbase is moreover provided at corners with pads or feet 32 by which it is supported at a slight elevation from the ground when the device is in use.

The material from which the envelope I 3 is formed is suiiciently thin to allow of being compactly folded into the connes of the base area, as shown in Fig. 1, and a cover 33 of leather or artificial leather is provided to confine it, said cover being permanently secured along one oi the longitudinal edges of the base. Any convenient means may be employed for detachably securing the other three edges of the cover, for example, a slide fastener of which the lug tapes are indicated at 35 and the slide at 36 in Fig-1. For convenience in carrying the body warmer; l

have provided it with a handle 3'I`whi'ch is. at-

tached to the other longitudinaledge. of the. base at the center.

From the foregoing, it Willbeseen' thatl have provided a simple and inexpensive bodywarmer which is light and compact when foldedso that it can be readily carried about. .By reason of. the construction of the baserirom thermo-insulating material andthe formation ofthe envelope I8 from thin, light air-tight material, the device is rendered highly ecient botlias regardsheat conservation and the cost of operation. y

In preparation for-use of the body warmer, the base I is placed at a suitable distance from the seat S (Fig. 3) -which is to beoccupied byrthe wearer, with the'envelope I8 'opened out. lWith this preparation, the wearer steps onto the base I with her (his) feet resting lon the gridV IB over the heating unit I5 (Wheretoasuitable amount of Water was previously applied) whereupon the envelope I8 is drawn up over the legswandlower body, the slide fastener closedyand the-belt means 23, 24 drawn tight and buckled. -The'envelope I8 having thus been placed'and secured; the wearer may nowsit down as shown inA-Fig.-i3and thrust her (his) hands into the openings. 26. ously, by being directly over-.the4 heating Yunit I5, the feet are kept comfortablywarm, @while the entrained air within theenvelopeiscirculated by convection and heated as it passes through .the perforations -of fthe grid `.It and around said unit to .keep the legs, lthell'ower body, and the hands warm.

It is to be understood of course that..I`do not wish to be limited to the precisel details of construction herein set forth, nor're'stricted'to the use of the specic form of heating un'itherein shown and described by way .of example,1since other types of heating units"may be'substitutd within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described'my"inventionjI claim:

l. A body warmercompri'singa' ilat'rigidI base with a well containing' aremovable 'heating element or unit; a reticulate'lid for the well serving in part as a support for the wearers'feet when the warmer is in use; an envelope ofy exible airtight material attached at the bottom to the base and adapted to-be secur'ablefabout-'the body of the wearer, said envelopebeingf foldable into the confines of the base area; a cover corresponding in size to thebase' area for conningthe envelope; means for securing-the cover in closed position; and a handle for carrying the' warmer when collapsed.

2. A body warmer comprising aflatrigid' base with a well, containing a removableheatingelement or unit; meansvfitliin the well for 'supporting said element or .unit with'. provision` for; air

ObVicirculation around it; a. reticulate lid for the well to serve in part as a support for the wearers feet when the warmer is in use; an envelope of flexible air-tight and moisture-repellent material attached at the bottom to the base and adapted to be secured at the top about the body of the wearer, said envelope being compactly foldable into the connes of the base area; a cover corresponding in size to the base area for conning the folded envelope;.means for securing the cover in closed position; and .a carrying handle attached to the edge of the base.

3. A body warmer according to claim 2, in which the cover securing means is in the form of a slide fastener whereof the lug tapes are secured respectively vto the edges of said base and said cover.

4. Abody warmer comprising a substantially atrigid base of thermo-insulating material having a perimetric foundation frame of light-weight rigid materialwith cross bars inwardof itsopposite ends setting-apart a well in the. centerfofthe base; relatively loose thermo-insulatingmaterial lling the hollows at the ends of the frame; rigid top and bottom sheets of compacted insulating material retaining the relatively -loose insulating material within said hollows; means Awithin the well of the base for supportinga heating element or unit with provision -for 'air-circulation 1all around it; and an envelopeiof exible .air-tight and moisture-repellent material; attached; perimetrically of the base-andk adapted tobe. secured at the top about the body of theiwearer.

5. A body warmer comprising,;a:substantial1y iiat rigid base of thermo-insulating'materialhaving a perimetric foundation frame-.of light-weight rigid material with cross bars-inward-of;'itsopposite ends setting aparta well inthe'centerdof-` the Abase; relatively loose thermo-insulating:material lling thehollowsfat the 'ends of .the frame rigid top and bottomasheets of compacted-insulating material retaining the relatively loosel insulating material within said. hollows;; af'liningofgsheet metal within the welle and a: layereof lthermoinsulating material underlying thedin-ingfinzthe bottom of the well; means'withinztheiwellfoiithe base for supporting a heating elementorgunit with provision for air circulation all aroundg'it; and an envelope of exible air-ttightandrmoisture-repellent material: attached;perimetricallyzto the base and adapted-1 to` be:secu-red fat'V the` top about the body of the wearer.

6. A body warmer comprising, a-.substantia'lly flat rigid base of thermo-insulatingmaterial having a perimetric foundation frameof liebte-weight rigid material with cross bars inward ofiits opposite ends setting aparta Wellin the center offlthe base; relatively loose thermo-insulating material lling the hollows at theends-fof: tiret-frame; rigid top and bottomv sheets of compactedgiinsulating material retaining the relativelyfloose insulating material within saidfhollows;.'feetxto support the base at;a; slighti eleyation:irom;:the ground; means .within the -wellf off' the fbasezffor supporting. a heating'element or; unlt'fwithfprovision forl air. circulation all arounditr-zandf-.an envelope of flexible air-tightrand;moisture-repellent material attached perimetrically lof the base and adapted to be secured `at the top about-.fthe body of the wearer. f

REUBEN ROBERT REVENO. 

